EarthFair was held in San Diego’s Balboa Park to celebrate Earth Day.
Late this morning I took a walk through this year’s EarthFair. You might have seen my blog last year, when I posted photographs from the gigantic event. Every year EarthFair attracts tens of thousands of enthusiastic San Diegans to Balboa Park to celebrate Earth Day. It’s billed as the largest free annual environmental fair in the world, and that sounds true to me! It’s huge!
Many of the over 300 exhibitors throughout Balboa Park can be seen at the event every year, and last year I featured many in photos. So I figured this year I’d focus slightly more on close up images. Super colorful art on signs, shirts, gifts and canvases provided many opportunities for my camera. I also saw a lot of smiles!
Cool graphic on official EarthFair shirt. The annual Balboa Park event attracted a huge crowd as usual!One of many handmade signs with environmental messages… love the Earth. Plant a tree.Bright sunflowers on table of urban farming advocates.Super smile promoting the Cacaofest, which celebrates the cultures behind the chocolate! I’m there!Solar-powered rotating globe held in a sculpted human hand.Creating art out of perfectly good food saved from dumpsters. I blogged about these guys last year!
Donate Don’t Dump is a project undertaken by Rob Greenfield. Check out my blog from last year, if you’d like!
A powerful smile from the artist behind Nuts and Beans are Powerful Proteins!Protecting animals was one major theme at EarthFair.This cool guy is Dr. Wilderness. He had a family magic show. Great outfit!This cheerful Dad and daughter musical duo was raising money to help build school gardens.A flower and a smile. I learned how copper gives slimy snails an electrical shock!A happy blue whale out of water.Lots of tie-dye could be seen throughout Balboa Park.Many crafts, clothes and goods for sale featured lush color and spiritual imagery from Eastern religious traditions.A super cool painting of Mr. Padre, Tony Gwynn, created by artist Michael Rosenblatt.
Is this painting of local baseball legend Tony Gwynn awesome, or what? It has a Facebook page!
Lots of hand-crafted musical instruments were for sale.Some guys carry flags in preparation for a small Earth Day parade through Balboa Park.Sam Garcia, Jr. paints a canvas. Several talented artists were at work for all to see.Creative kids (or adults) could color these huge panels however they pleased!Large panels on display featured fantastic artwork, many images with a 1960s feel.This human skull really caught my attention!Beautiful wild animals in an exotic nature scene.What’s your sign? This panel showed activist signs photographed during the 25 years of EarthFair.This very nice Quaker lady advocates vegetarianism.Kids’ art shown at The Project Lennon table. This organization promotes peace and positive outlets for urban youth.Various vegan and vegetarian groups had different booths and some humorous signs.I wonder what the animal rights folks would think of this? Animals used to fight poverty and hunger!Which one of these is the real animal? That happy parrot on top!Sign states that every year 30,000 species go extinct.I saw lots of banners with peace signs and rainbow colors.This butterfly was flitting about in the San Diego spring breeze.Food was also a major topic, and appeared in unusual works of art.This totem pole was made of recycled materials!A table in the kids activity area promoted imagination and creativity.Harry Eubanks of Rivers Eden paints cool art on old bits of wooden fencing.Fun art from recycled everyday items in the Repair and Reuse tent.The art of peace by Da Vinci, Warhol, Picasso, Van Gogh and other famous artists.Arts and crafts were for sale in a large vendor area on the grass near Park Boulevard.Lion dances would take place later in the day!Volunteer today! Plant a butterfly garden in Balboa Park! Do it!Art was encouraged everywhere I turned. I enjoyed taking a walk through the 2015 EarthFair!
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Downtown San Diego has been my home for many years. My online activities reflect my love for writing, blogging, walking and photography.
View all posts by Richard Schulte
11 thoughts on “Art, smiles and activism at 2015 EarthFair!”
Loved your photos! You got to some of the vendors that I was looking for, like the Urban Farming advocates and the Cacaofest booth. Michael Rosenblatt’s paintings were the first art booth we came to, his works were really eye-popping.
Richard, do you mind if I link to your blog for my article? And especially to the Glean Queens, too, they were the type of booth that I was looking for but missed seeing!
Cool San Diego Sights! 
Loved your photos! You got to some of the vendors that I was looking for, like the Urban Farming advocates and the Cacaofest booth. Michael Rosenblatt’s paintings were the first art booth we came to, his works were really eye-popping.
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I could’ve posted a hundred pics! I liked Rosenblatt’s work, too!
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I’m uploading my pics right now… I really liked your observations and optimism! Great photos of all the smiles, too!
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Cool!
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Richard, do you mind if I link to your blog for my article? And especially to the Glean Queens, too, they were the type of booth that I was looking for but missed seeing!
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Sure, by all means! If we can help them out, it would be great! Might as well have my silly blog do something useful!
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Great post, thanks. Am going to reblog. i was planning on doing a brief Earth Day post and your’s is a perfect lead in 🙂
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Oh, wow! Thanks katelon! Have a great week ahead!
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Reblogged this on Empower and Balance
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